Editor’s Note: Here below is a list of the main issues currently under discussion in New Zealand and links to media coverage. You can sign up to NZ Politics Daily as well as New Zealand Political Roundup columns for free here.

Today’s content

Three Waters, local government
Thomas Coughlan (Herald): Three Waters: Councils will never have control over water entities (paywalled)
Heather du Plessis-Allan (Newstalk ZB): Three Waters fiasco has potential to go badly for Labour
Peter Dunne: Word’s count, Minister
Claire Trevett (Herald): Auckland Mayor Phil Goff says ‘little benefit for Aucklanders’, Winston Peters calls it ‘a blatant power grab’
Thomas Manch (Stuff): Government wades further into almighty water stoush by forging on with Three Waters reforms 
Thomas Coughlan (Herald): Three waters reforms, complex, with conflicting incentives – advice (paywalled)
Lloyd Burr (Magic): Three Waters: No one likes a power-hungry government
Jonathan Milne (Newsroom): Watchdog to protect homes and businesses from big new water providers
Tina Law (Stuff): Water reforms a ‘must have’ for sector, but councils furious at loss of control
Stuff Editorial: Government dons gumboots for mandated Three Waters reforms
Luke Malpass (Stuff): Three waters: Government investigates regulator to protect consumers from new water entities
Jane Nixon (1 News): Widespread dismay from mayors across NZ to Govt’s Three Waters reform
RNZ: South Island councils disappointed by govt decision to push through Three Waters reform
RNZ: Three Waters: Mayors respond to government’s brute force approach
Amelia Wade (Newshub): How mayors across New Zealand reacted to Three Waters mandate
Gianina Schwanecke (Herald): Hawke’s Bay mayors say Government takeover ‘pretty scary’ (paywalled)
Aaron Leaman (Stuff): Waikato leaders vow to fight ‘draconian’ waters reform agenda 
Grant Miller (ODT): Mayors wanted choice
Felix Desmarais (Local Democracy Reporting): Rotorua mayor says Three Waters mandate ‘not a surprise’
Skara Bohny and Cherie Sivignon (Stuff): Three Waters legislation announcement ‘not a surprise’
Evan Harding (Stuff): ‘Government has stolen our water assets’: Invercargill city councillor
Adam Jacobson (Stuff): Three Water reforms mandate removes ‘democratic accountability’ – Auckland mayor
Stephen Forbes (Local Democracy Reporting): Auckland councillor says Government has broken its promise on Three Waters
Tim Newman (Stuff): Nelson councillors dismayed over Government’s ‘undemocratic’ Three Waters announcement
Kate Green (Stuff): Local governments in Wellington, Hawke’s Bay react to water reform decision
Jennifer Eder and Maia Hart (Stuff): Concerns Marlborough voice ‘not heard’ in Three Waters reform
Jane Matthews (Stuff): Mandated water reform existential threat to Stratford Council, says mayor
RNZ: Three waters reforms to be mandatory for councils – Nanaia Mahuta
Thomas Manch (Stuff): Government pushes ahead with Three Waters reform, will take water services from councils
Anna Whyte (1 News): Govt forges ahead with water reform despite strident opposition
Pattrick Smellie (BusinessDesk): Govt to steamroll three waters reforms (paywalled)
Brent Edwards (NBR): Government argues there’s a compelling case to proceed with water reforms
David Farrar (Kiwiblog): The great water theft is on
Don Brash (Bassett, Brash and Hide): A Govt that imposes Three Waters is a dictatorship
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Conan Young (RNZ): Canterbury councils spending big on communications
Jono Galuszka (Stuff): Horizons Regional Council confirms plans for two Māori wards, 14 councillors
Andrea Fox (Herald): Auckland port pledges to lift its financial and productivity game soon (paywalled)
Georgina Campbell (Herald): Business case to remove cars from Wellington’s Golden Mile approved, but not without a fight 

Vaccine mandate
Stephen Croucher, Doug Ashwell, Jo Cullinane (The Conversation): Are employers and workers at odds over NZ’s workplace vaccine mandates? Our research suggests they might be
John Anthony (Stuff): Construction sector calls for compulsory vaccination as Covid-19 cases rise on some sites
Jenna Lynch (Newshub): Government not ruling out mandating COVID-19 vaccinations in construction, other industries
Henry Cooke (Stuff): Government considering vaccine mandate for police
Caroline Williams (Stuff): Auckland and Waikato unis to mandate vaccination for staff, students and visitors
Sharnae Hope (Stuff): Waikato University to consult on mandatory vaccinations for all staff and students
RNZ: Handful of rescue chopper pilots and medics to be sidelined after declining vaccine
Maxine Jacobs (Stuff): Business owner fears vaccine certificate mandate will create a national divide 
Melanie Carroll (Stuff): Tears, hard talks with unvaccinated workers who want to stay
Chris Tobin (Stuff): Some tense conversations expected after ‘no jab-no job’ call
Charlotte Muru-Lanning (Spinoff): What happens if your boss refuses to get vaccinated?
No Right Turn: Vaccine mandates and human rights
Cecile Meier (Stuff): Pro-choice statements about Covid-19 vaccine mandate for midwives ‘selfish’ and ‘disappointing’ 
Ben Thomas (Stuff): Vaccine mandates were inevitable, but there’s no need for ministers’ moral tone
Gregor Paul (Herald): Rugby: No jab, no play – Auckland schools agree to vaccine mandate for prestigious First XV competition (paywalled)
Marena Mane (Māori TV): No jab, no job – what does that mean for Māori?
Moana Ellis (Local Democracy Reporting): Iwi leader warns unvaccinated workers ‘isolated and distraught’
Māori TV: Tāmaki barber unfazed by new vaccine mandates for staff
Tim Black (Spiked): Saint Jacinda’s halo has slipped
Daniel Dunkley (Stuff): Slow vaccine certificate progress threatens summer fun
Brianna Mcilraith (Stuff): Tenant told to vaccinate or leave
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Lana Andelane (Newshub): Michael Wood slams Judith Collins’ calls to phase out vaccine certificates at 90pct vaccination as ‘absolute nonsense’
1 News: Collins criticises November delivery of vaccine certificates
RNZ: National Party wants vaccine mandates dropped at 90 percent immunisation rate
Thomas Coughlan (Herald): Collins backs new vaccine mandates
Henry Cooke (Stuff): Judith Collins says she would be more comfortable with vaccine mandates if they had a sunset clause

Delta outbreak, Govt management
RNZ: Government not ruling out snap lockdown in Christchurch after two Covid-19 community cases
Marc Daalder (Newsroom): Documents reveal ‘real lack of preparedness for Delta’
Jamie Morton (Herald): How will the rest of this outbreak play out?
Matthew Hooton (Patreon): Has the Living Standards Framework been used for Covid? (paywalled)
Liam Hehir (Patreon): Wanted: A theory of the case for National (paywalled)
1 News: ‘Delta is on your doorstep’ – Hipkins warns virus will sneak out of Auckland
Scott Palmer (Newshub): Chris Hipkins warns coronavirus will continue spreading around New Zealand
Mike Hosking (Newstalk ZB): More evidence the PM can’t handle tough questions
RNZ: Covid-19 wrap: Isolating at home, going back to school
1 News: NZ ‘accepting’ lockdown ‘dictatorship’: Russell Coutts
Stuff: Russell Coutts slams Covid-19 restrictions, accuses Government of ‘dictatorship’
Herald: Russell Coutts accuses Government of ‘dictatorship’ in social media post

Vaccine rollout
RNZ: No supply information, delivery schedule for paediatric doses – Hipkins
1 News: Accessibility ‘important’ for rollout of Pfizer for under-12s
James Halpin (Stuff): MoH in talks with Pfizer over vaccine use in children aged 5-11
Maxine Jacobs (Stuff): Tamariki will become Covid casualties if vaccine is not prioritised for them, Māori Council warns
Māori TV: Māori Council wants young tamariki vaccinated
Adam Pearse (Herald): Māori vaccination events attracting the hesitant
Jean Bell (RNZ): Community focus key for Māori health provider vaccination efforts in rural BOP
Jamie Mackay (Herald): Rural Kiwis need to step up vaccination efforts (paywalled)
David Farrar (Kiwiblog): Vaccinated people should chill out
Jess Berentson-Shaw (Newsroom): Six smarter tips for talking with friends who aren’t vaccinated
Spinoff: My journey down the anti-vax rabbit hole – and back out again
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Irra Lee (1 News): Graphs reveal how Covid-19 vaccinations are tracking in NZ
Scott Palmer (Newshub): Interactive vaccination map shows how much progress New Zealand is making
Harkanwal Singh (Spinoff): The vaccination rate for every suburb in New Zealand on an interactive map
ODT: Queenstown passes Dunedin in vaccination race

MIQ, NZ border
Katie Todd (RNZ): MIQ system plagued by third-party bookings as stranded expats await overhaul
Siobhan Downes (Stuff): MIQ to change passport number requirement to prevent fake bookings
RNZ: Government delays announcement on Managed Isolation and Quarantine system
Stuff: MIQ system changes expected this week, says Prime Minister
Jane Nixon (1 News): Grandfather of ICU doctor in MIQ who pleaded for leave to see him, dies overnight
Lane Nichols (Herald): Auckland richlister Murray Bolton takes MIQ legal challenge to High Court
Bridie Witton (Stuff): More than 500 Aucklanders are isolating at home

Alert levels, cases, demographics
Rawiri Taonui (Waatea): A race against time and racism
Rawiri Taonui (Herald): Māori Covid cases will overtake Pasifika in coming days (paywalled)
Anna Leask (Herald): Confirmed cases in Christchurch were ‘not good’ at scanning in, contact tracing
Jake Kenny (Stuff): Two cases in Christchurch, one may have been infectious in city for a week
RNZ: Waikato’s alert level restrictions ease, but border remains
1 News: Parts of Waikato to move to eased Level 3 restrictions
Rukuwai Tipene-Allen (Māori TV): ‘Government has turned its back on Te Tai Tokerau’
Lucy Xia (Stuff): More than 30 City Rail Link workers stood down after two test positive 

Education
1 News: Govt treading carefully on primary school return – Hipkins
Amy Williams (RNZ): Principals to discuss next steps in reopening Auckland primary schools
Ben Leahy (Herald): Auckland schools remain closed with no fixed date for reopening
RNZ: Auckland primary school educators call for ‘gold standard’ health and safety measures
Anna Whyte (1 News): L3 primary students may return to school Nov 15
Nathan Morton (Stuff): Government pencils in November 15 for primary school return
Tumamao Harawira (Māori TV): Auckland Kura Māori stay closed
Don Franks (Redline): Why workers should support ACT’s Education and Training Amendment Bill
Lee Kenny (Stuff): Staff wage bill for tertiary education provider Te Pūkenga is $11m, boss tells MPs

Protests, Rules, compliance
1 News: Northland community leaders condemn ‘anti-vax’ hīkoi
Alice Wilkins (Newshub): Iwi leaders condemn group attempting to breach lockdown borders in ‘Hīkoi of Truth’
Herald: Police ‘frustrated’ and ‘disappointed’ with Hīkoi protesters
Mark Quinlivan (Newshub): ‘Go home and behave’: National leader Judith Collins unleashes on anti-lockdown convoy
Sam Olley (RNZ): Protesters ‘continue to put the wider community at risk’ – police
Avina Vidyadharan and Karina Cooper (Northern Advocate): Hīkoi of Truth march to Waitangi ‘hoo-ha’ at a ‘dangerous’ time for Northland
RNZ: ‘Anti-vax’ protest convoy stopped at Auckland border, blocking SH1
Herewini Waikato (Māori TV): ‘Sovereign Hīkoi of Truth’ movement stopped at south Auckland checkpoint
Dylan Reeve (Spinoff): The ‘Sovereign Hīkoi of Truth’ – explained
Chris Trotter (Daily Blog): Counter-Cultural Counter-Revolutionaries
Herald Editorial: Anti-social media is soiling the nest we are trying to build (paywalled)
Jimmy Ellingham (RNZ): Temporary name suppression for women accused of flouting Covid-19 restrictions
Anne Gibson (Herald): ‘Someone has to lead’: Leo Molloy names reopening date for Headquarters (paywalled)
Denise Piper (Stuff): Northland leaders worry Auckland’s border could keep the region an island indefinitely
Ben Leahy (Herald): Former TV host Liz Gunn explains comments she made about Jacinda Ardern

Health
Nicholas Jones (Herald): When the ‘storm’ hits: Will our hospital ICUs cope now Delta is free? (paywalled)
Mike Houlahan (ODT): Devil in detail of health system planning
Gordon Campbell (Werewolf): On our weird ways of funding care for the dying
Aaron Smale (Stuff): Why were cruel and experimental treatments on the children of Lake Alice overlooked by the medical profession?
Anthony O’Brien (Spinoff): The countdown is on to reinvent our outdated, unfit Mental Health Act

ACC
1 News: ACC ‘has work to do’ to regain trust after privacy breach – Govt
RNZ: Change coming after political outcry over ACC privacy revelations
RNZ: ACC chairperson urged to change organisational culture following privacy breaches

Environment, climate change, conservation
Lois Williams (Local Democracy Reporting): Most farmers not clearing native bush ahead of new SNAs rules- West Coast Councillor
David Gadd (Stuff): Let’s embrace our role as kaitiaki – the places taonga live need our protection
Marc Daalder (Newsroom): Long read: How past climates hold secrets for our future
Anneke Smith (RNZ): Climate change protesters glue hands to Parliament steps
Bill Hickman (Stuff): Extinction Rebellion protesters glued to Parliament steps arrested, man charged with wilful damage
Herald: Three arrested in Wellington after activists reportedly glued to Parliament steps
Sara Walton (Newsroom): COP26: What business needs to know
Simon Wilson: (Herald): Glasgow Diary – October 28 (paywalled)

Economy, business, Wage subsidy
Tom Pullar-Strecker (Stuff): Business confidence in economy slips, but employment intentions remain strong 
RNZ: Businesses expect economy to get worse – ANZ survey
Kendall Hutt (1 News): NZ exporters confident of survival despite pandemic
Rahul Bhattarai (Herald): Sledgehammer approach: Landlords and tenants divided over rent relief bill (paywalled)
Esther Taunton (Stuff): Supermarkets say lack of competition not to blame for NZ’s higher grocery prices
Cira Olivier (Herald): 15 staff lose jobs as iconic Lakeland Queen goes into ‘indefinite hibernation’ (paywalled)
John Berry (Stuff): Axis of chaos: Supply chains, energy and inflation

Employment
Nikki Mandow (Newsroom): ‘Rich get richer’ holiday pay decision overturned
Anuja Nadkarni (Newsroom): Virtual brain drain: Kiwis eye offshore firms for better benefits

Electricity market
Hamish Rutherford (Herald): Electricity regulator can’t be sure of problems, so blames the smelter (paywalled)
No Right Turn: The cost of Tiwai Point
Luke Nutting (Herald): Time to take power back from the big electricity landlords (paywalled)
Nicholas Pointon (RNZ): Tiwai Point smelter subsidy may leave households paying up to $200 more in power – EA
Tom Pullar-Strecker (Stuff): Energy Minister Megan Woods to consider fresh electricity market reforms

Housing
RNZ: House prices expected to ease – report
Tony Alexander (OneRoof): Countdown to December 1 and the big squeeze on borrowers
Brent Melville (BusinessDesk): Tax ‘tweaks’ could open the build-to-rent gates
Miriam Bell (Stuff): Rents drop for the first time in eight months
Miriam Bell (Stuff): House price increases tipped to slow to 5 per cent per year 

Foreign affairs
Eleisha Foon (RNZ): Shining a light on NZ’s aid sector and its relationship with the Pacific
Sam Sachdeva (Newsroom): Indian diplomats weigh in on academic spat

Primary industries
Maja Burry (RNZ): Canterbury ANZCO feedlot faces inspection
Debbie Jamieson (Stuff): Limit on new water rights in Otago to constrain farmers and growers
Hamish MacLean (ODT): Water permit decision disappoints
Penny Simmonds (Stuff): Our farmers should be celebrated, not vilified
Craig Hickman (Stuff): British public fed a lot of guff on NZ farm practice
Andrea Fox (Herald): Dairy farmer spend-up unlikely despite bumper Fonterra forecast (paywalled)

Transport
Phil Pennington (RNZ): Road safety strategy not moving fast enough to slow road toll
ODT Editorial: High holiday toll, again

Other
Shane Te Pou (Herald): What will happen to moderate remnants of National? (paywalled)
Gill Bonnett (RNZ): Former refugees push for action on better settlement for future arrivals
No Right Turn: “Close to useless”
Nicholas Ross Smith (Asia Media Centre): Preparing for a Cold War: Could a non-aligned New Zealand work?
RNZ: The Detail: Tearfund’s naming and shaming misses the mark
ODT: Trust hopes memorial will inspire peace
Daisy Hudson (ODT): Report into former Dunedin bishop’s conduct completed
Lorna Thornber (Stuff): Lonely Planet names Auckland the best city in the world to travel to in 2022
Georgina Campbell (Herald): Ministers warned confusing engineering guidelines ‘indefensible’ in big earthquake